Automatic gauging device



Jan. 23, 1962 Filed June 24, 1958 M. C. YEASTING ETAL AUTOMATIC GAUGING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS MAYNARD G.YEASTING By MANLY A.MAGSIG ATTO EYS Jan. 23, 1962 Filed June 24, 1958 M. C. YEASTING ETAL AUTOMATIC GAUGING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

FIG.8.

INVENTORS MAYNARD G.YEASTING BY MANLY A.NIAGSIG ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1962 M. c. YEASTING ETAL 3,017,726

AUTOMATIC GAUGING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 24, 1958 INVENTO S MAYNARD C.YEA$T|NG BY MANLY A. MAGSIG W W W ATTORNEYS hired rates This invention relates to an automatic gauging device and refers more particularly to a device having means for gauging the surface of a work piece being honed.

One object of the invention is to provide a gauging device for a honing tool including means for stopping the rotation and reciprocation of the tool when the surface has been honed to the desired size or dimension.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control system for a honing tool including means for measuring the dimension of the surface being honed and means for collapsing the abrading elements carried by the tool when the turface has been honed to the desired size or dimension.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ganging device for a honing tool adapted to hone a cylindrical bore, in which the gauging device includes an annular member encircling the drive shaft of the honing tool and adapted to enter the bore and having a relatively movable part engageable with the bore during the gauging operation, and a second member movable with respect to the first and engageable with the relatively movable part of the first member to move the movable part against the surface of the bore.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gauging device as defined in the last preceding paragraph in which the members are carried by the honing tool drive by yielding connections and in which relative movement of said members is produced by arresting the movement of one of the members prior to the end of the stroke of the tool drive.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a gauging device as defined in the preceding paragraph in which the first member comprises an annular carrier supporting a circular array of balls supported for movement from a normally retracted position radially outwardly into engagement with the surface of the bore, and the second member is in the form of an annulus having a frusto conical surface engageable with the balls.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustratings a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a honing tool having a gauging device associated therewith in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the gauging device in one position in which the gauging balls are held in their normal radially inner or retracted position.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows the gauging device in another position in which the balls are urged radially outwardly into engagement with the surface of a bore.

FIG. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view in longitudinal section of the driving means of a honing machine.

RIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view. of the honing head illustrating the expanding mechanism for the abrad ing elements carired thereby.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 on PEG. 6; and,

' dfililfih Patented .lan. 2.3, llSfiZ ice FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic wiring diagram.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 11 designates a honing tool supported in a vertical position and having an abrading head 11 at the lower end thereof. The abrading head 11 may be of any suitable construction and is generally cylindrical and secured to the lower end of a shaft 12. As shown particularly in FIG. 7, the head is formed with a plurality of slots 14 spaced equal distances from each other circumferentially of the head and extending for the full length of the latter. Seated in each slot is a holder 15 extending for the full length of the slot and having the outer surface recessed to receive an abrading element 16. The holders 15 have ribs 15 on opposite sides receivcd in grooves in the slots 14 to prevent relative movement of the holders axially of the head. The head may include additional slots 17 respectively arranged between the slots 14 and of a size to receive non-metallic guides 18.

Supported within the head is a cone carrying member 19 having axially spaced cones 20 and 21 concentric with the axis of the abrading head. In accordance with conventional practice, the cones engage shoes 22 slidably supported in slots 23 formed in the head. The slots are arranged to open into the radially inner sides of slots 14 to enable the shoes to engage the base portions of the holders 15. The shoes are held in engagement with the respective holders 15 by garter springs 24 which respectively encircle projections at opposite ends of the holders.

The above arrangement is such that axial movement of the member 19 in an upward direction simultaneously moves the abrading elements 16 radially outwardly against the surface of the bore within which the abrading head is located. On the other hand, movement of the member 19 in a downward direction permits the springs 24 to contract the abrading head or in other words to move the abrading elements 16 radially inwardly.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the shaft 12 is formed with a cylinder 39 above the head 11, the axis of which extends along the axis of shaft 12. A piston 31 is supported in cylinder 30 for axial sliding movement and is connected to the cone carrying member 19 by a rod 32 which extends from the piston to the member 19 through an axial passage 33 in the shaft. The piston 31 adjusts the position of the abrading elements 16 depending upon its position in the cylinder 30. If desired, rod 32. may be provided with a transverse pin 34 adapted to extend into the diametrically opposite slots 35 formed in the wall of the passage 33 to cause the rod and piston to rotate as a unit with the shaft 12 and abrading head 11.

- The piston 31 is moved in opposite directions to correspondingly operate the cone carrying member 19 by alternately connecting the cylinder 30 at opposite ends of the piston to a source of fluid under pressure 36 and to a reservoir 37. As shown particularly in FIG. 5, a sleeve 38 encircles the shaft 12 and is freely rotatable thereon and held against axial movement by the collars 39 secured to the shaft at opposite ends of the sleeve. Thus, the shaft 12 may rotate relative to sleeve 38. The sleeve 38 is formed with annular grooves 40 and 41 in its internal surface which respectively communicate with the passages 42 and 43 which connect into cylinder 30 at opposite ends thereof. The groove 40 is connected to line 44 by a passage 45 in sleeve 38, and the groove 41 the valve, line 46 is connected to the source of fluid under pressure and the line 44 is connected to the reservoir. Thus the piston 31 may be moved upwardly or downwardly in the cylinder under the control of the valve 48. In the upper position of the piston, the abrading elements 16 of the head are expanded radially outwardly and in the lower position of the piston the abrading elements may be contracted radially inwardly by the garter springs 24.

During a honing operation, the head 11 and shaft 12 are reciprocated and rotated within a cylindrical bore 60 of a work piece 61 (FIG. 1). Any suitable mechanism may be provided for rotating and reciprocating the tool. For the purpose of illustration, reciprocation is accomplished by a piston-cylinder assembly 62 (FIG. including a cylinder 63 and a piston 64 slidable within the cylinder. The piston 64- is connected to the upper end of the shaft 12 and is moved in opposite directions in the cylinder by fluid under pressure. The opposite ends of the cylinder are alternately connected to a suitable pump 65 and a reservoir 66 through a 4-way valve 67. The shaft 12 and head 11 are rotated during reciprocation thereof by a power unit including an electric motor 68. A pinion 69 is driven by the motor and meshes with a gear 70 on the shaft 12. The splined connection 71 between the gear 70 and shaft enables reciprocation of the shaft during rotation.

The valve 48 and the valve 67 are electrically operated by solenoids 75 and 76. The electric motor 68 is controlled by a relay switch 77. As shown in FIG. 8, the solenoids and relay switch are electrically connected in a control circuit 79 in series with a normally open contact 81 of a relay 82. The relay 82 is in series with a micro-switch 80 which is normally open. As will be more fully described hereinafter, the switch 80 is automatically closed when the cylindrical surface of the bore 60 in the work piece 61 is honed or finished to a predetermined diameter. Closing of the switch 80 energizes relay 82 toclose contact 81 and energize the solenoids 75 and 76 as well as the relay switch 77. Since switch 80 is only momentarily closed, relay 82 has a second contact 83 to seal in the circuit to the relay. When the solenoid 75 is energized, the valve 48 is operated to move the piston 31 downwardly in the cylinder 30 and thereby cause the abrading elements 16 on the head 11 to retract from the cylindrical surface of the work piece. Energization of the solenoid 76 operates the valve 67 to direct fluid pressure to the lower end of cylinder 63 to raise the head out of the bore. At the same time, the relay switch 77 is operated to open the circuit to the electric motor 68 and thereby stop rotation of the abrading head.

The gauging device includes an outer tubular sleeve 100 adapted to extend into the bore 61, and an inner tubular sleeve 101 telescoped within the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve is rigidly secured at its upper end to an annular pressure plate 102. The plate 102 and inner sleeve 101 are of sufficiently large internal diameter to freely receive the drive shaft 12 of the honing tool. The pressure plate 102 is suspended from a supporting plate 103, which is secured to the sleeve 38 by an annular series of bolts 104. The bolts 104 are threaded into nuts 104 secured to the plate 103, and the shanks of the bolts are freely received in openings in the pressure plate 102. The heads 105 on the lower ends of the bolts support the pressure plate 102, and compression coil springs 105' encircle the shanks of the bolts between the plates 102 and 103 and yieldably hold the plate 102 down against the heads of the bolts.

The outer sleeve has an annular stop plate 106 rigidly secured to its upper end, and the stop plate 106 is suspended from the pressure plate 102 of the inner sleeve by an annular series of bolts 107. The lower ends of the bolts thread into the nuts 107' secured to plate 106, and the upper ends of the bolts are freely received in openings in the pressure plate 102. The shanks of the bolts 107 are encircled by compression coil springs 108 to normally position the plates 102 and 106 as illustrated in FIG. 1 with the heads 109 of the bolts resting on and supported by the plate 102. An abutment ring 110 is secured to the under side of the stop plate 106.

The micro-switch 80 shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 is carried by the stop plate 106 and has an actuating button 111. The actuating button is adapted to be engaged by the end of a screw 112 carried by the pressure plate 102. The shank of the screw 112 threads through a boss 113 secured to plate 102 to permit vertical adjustment of the screw by rotation thereof. The lower end of the screw shank is directly above the button 111 to actuate the latter.

A head 114 of the screw 112 is preferably graduated around its periphery to enable setting the screw to provide the desired spacing between the screw shank and button 111. An indicator 114 carried by the plate 102 extends opposite to the periphery of the screw head to facilitate setting and reading the setting on the screw.

A stop bolt 115 is threaded into a nut 116 secured to the plate 102 and extends vertically through the plate, terminating above the stop plate 106. A lock nut 117 is provided to maintain the adjustment of the stop bolt. The stop bolt limits the degree of relative movement of the plates 102 and 106 toward each other to prevent the button 111 from being damaged by excessive movement of the screw shank 112.

The outer sleeve 100 has secured to the lower end thereof an annular carrier 120 which may have an annular external taper 121 to serve as a pilot facilitating entry of the carrier into the bore. The carrier is arranged concentric with the sleeve 100 and is formed with an annular series of equally circumferentially spaced radial openings 122. A ball 123 is supported in each radial opening and is freely slidable radially within the opening. The carrier is also provided with upper and lower garter springs 124 which are respectively disposed in annular recesses at the upper and lower edges of the series of radial openings 122. The garter springs prevent the balls 123 from escaping when the sleeve and carrier are withdrawn from the bore being worked or measured.

The inner sleeve has secured to its lower end a hardened steel ring which is concentric with the axis of the inner sleeve and is formed on its radially outer surface with an annular frusto-conical surface 131 which tapers toward the axis of the tube in a downward direction. The conical surface 131 has a camming action on the balls and is adapted to engage the latter during downward movement of the steel ring 130 relative to the balls to cam them radially outwardly into contact with the surface of the bore. The axial position of the inner sleeve and ring 130 relative to the outer sleeve 100 and balls 123 when the balls are camrned into firm engagement with the bore 60 is a measure of the diameter of the bore.

The relative movement of the surface 131 with respect to the carrier 120 is limited to that range of movement in which the balls 123 contact the tapered or conical surface 131 between its upper and lower edges.

In operation, the head is rotated continuously and is reciprocated within the bore to abrade and hone away the cylindrical surface of the bore 60. Towards the end of each downward stroke of the head, the abutment ring 110 engages the upper end of the work piece to positively limit further downward movement of the outer sleeve 100 into the bore. The springs 108 compress to permit further downward movement of the inner sleeve with the head. As the camming surface 131 engages the balls 123, it earns the balls radially outwardly against the surface of the bore. At this point, the downward movement of the inner sleeve is arrested at a position indicative of the diameter of the bore 60 and the springs 105' thereupon compress to accommodate the remaining downward stroke of the head. The preload of the springs 105 is greater than that of the springs 108 so that the springs 108 will be the first to compress.

As the bore is hone-d, the inner sleeve moves downwardly relative to the balls 123 farther and farther in order to cam them against the wall of the bore. When the desired diameter of bore is reached, the inner sleeve moves downwardly far enough to cause the shank of the screw 112 to engage the button 111 of the micro-switch 80 clos ing the latter and thereby initiating the control sequence for stopping the reciprocation and rotation of the honing head and also collapsing the abrading elements 16.

The gaging device can be adjusted to automatically hone to different diameters by merely adjusting the actuating screw 112.

While it has been stated that the abutment ring engages the work to limit further downward movement of the carrier sleeve, often a bushing is placed over the bore to guide the hone and under such circumstances the abutment ring may engage the bushing rather than the Work.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. Honing apparatus comprising a honing tool supported for reciprocation relative to a workpiece and having a head carrying abrading elements for engaging and removing excess material from the surface of a bore in the workpiece, means for reciprocating said tool together with said head axially relative to: the bore to remove the excess material from the surface thereof, a gage for said surface including a tubular member movable in an axially inward direction into said bore and supporting a circular series of gaging balls for movement radially outwardly to engage the surface of the bore, stop means limiting such movement of said tubular member into said bore, a second member carried by said tool for reciprocation therewith and telescoped axially within said tubular member normally free of contact therewith, said second member having an annular camming surface engageable with said balls upon movement relative to said tubular member in an axial-1y inward direction to move said balls radially outwardly toward said surface and into engagement therewith, means connecting said members together for relative axial movement comprising spaced axial guide pins carried by one of said members slidably engaging the other, spring means opposing movement of said second member relative to said tubular member in an inward direction, means positively limiting movement of said second member relative to said tubular member in an outward direction, the distance said balls are moved by said second member being proportional to the movement of said second member relative to said tubular member so that such relative movement of said second member is a measure of the amount of material removed from said surface, and a yielding connection between said tool and second member permitting movement of said tool in an inward direction relative to said second member following engagement of said balls by said surface, said yielding connection between said tool and second member comprising spaced axial guide pins carried by the one and slidably engaging the other, spring means opposing movement of said tool relative to said second member in an inward direction, and means positively limiting movement of said tool relative to said second member in an outward direction, said second mentioned spring means having a greater preload than said first mentioned spring means, said yielding connection between said tool and second member and said connecting means between said members permitting a limited lateral movement of said second member relative to said tubular member to enable said camming surface to center itself with respect to the circular series of balls.

2. Honing apparatus comprising a honing tool supponted for reciprocation relative to a workpiece and having a head carrying abrading elements for engaging and removing excess material from the surface of a bore in the workpiece, means for reciprocating said tool together with said head axially relative to the bore to remove the excess material from the surface thereof, a gage for said surface including a tubular member movable in an axially inward direction into said bore and supporting a circular series of gaging balls for movement radially outwardly to engage the surface of the bore, stop means limiting such movement of said tubular member into said bore, a second member carried by said tool for reciprocation therewith and telescoped axially within said tubular member normally free of contact therewith, said second member having an annular camming surface engageable with said balls upon movement relative to said tubular member in an axially inward direction to move said balls radially outwardly toward said surface and into engagement therewith, means connecting said members together for relative axial movement comprising spaced axial guide pins carried by one of said members slidably engaging the other, spring means opposing movement of said second member relative to said tubular member in an inward direciton, means positively limiting movement of said second member relative to said tubular member in an outward direction, the distance said balls are moved by said second member being proportional to the movement of said second member relative to said tubular member so that such relative movement of said second member is a measure of the amount of material removed from said surface, and a yielding connection between said tool and second member permitting movement of said tool in an inward direction relative to said second member following engagement of said balls by said surface, said yielding connection between said tool and second mem ber comprising spaced axial guide pins carried by the one and slidably engaging the other, spring means opposing movement of said tool relative to said second member in an inward direction, and means positively limiting movement of said tool relative to said second member in an outward direction, said second mentioned spring means having a greater preload than said first mentioned spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,631,414 Muehling Mar. 14, 1953 2,787,866 Gross Apr. 9, 1957 2,787,867 Klein Apr. 9, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 693,706 Great Britain July 8, 1953 

